Lannea coromandelica (Houtt.) Merr.

ഉദി

Family : Anacardiaceae

Synonym : Dialium coromandelicum Houtt.

Common Names : Udhi, Odiyamaram, Karasu, Wodier, Jhingam

Flowering Period : January – May

Distribution : Indo-Malaysia and China

Habitat : Deciduous forests, also in the plains

Uses : Young leaves and sprouts - raw or cooked, are edible. The gum obtained from the trunk is often used in confectionery. The powdered bark is used as flavouring. The bark and the leaves are used as medicine. The plant can be grown as a hedge. The bark contains tannins. It is used for the impregnation of fishnets. A soluble resin, called 'Jingan gum' is obtained from the stems; it is used for calico printing. The bark yields a coarse cordage fibre. The wood is moderately hard; it is used for spear shafts, scabbards, wheel-spokes, oil presses, grain pounders etc.

Key Characters :

Deciduous trees, to 25 m high, bark surface grey to dark brown, rough.  Leaves imparipinnate, alternate, clustered at the end of branchlets; lamina oblong, oblong-ovate, margin entire. Flowers unisexual, yellowish-green; male flowers: in compound racemes; calyx 4-lobed; lobes ovate, imbricate; petals 4, lanceolate, imbricate; disc annular; stamens 8, inserted below the disc, ovary abortive; female flowers: in simple racemes; petals and sepals as in male flowers; stamens very short and small; anthers sterile; ovary superior. Fruit a drupe, ovoid, red.